Foot Cream

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Whether you are dressing to impress in a pair of stilettos or pounding the pavement in your running shoes, your feet have a vital role to play. However, when it comes to skin care routines, feet are often neglected. You can give your heels, soles and toes the attention they deserve by massaging them with a rich, nourishing foot cream on a regular basis.
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The skin on the soles of your feet is thicker than on other parts of your body. This helps to protect them as you stand, walk and run. It is important to use a lotion that has been specially formulated for your feet. Regular moisturizers are simply too thin to penetrate and protect the thick skin on the heels and soles of your feet.

Where your feet rub against the insides of your shoes, rough skin and calluses can form. The heels and balls of your feet are particularly susceptible to this type of dry, scaly skin. One way to remove hard skin from your soles and heels is to rub them gently with a pumice stone. Follow this up by applying a foot cream that can hydrate and nurture your feet.

As an alternative to using a pumice stone, you can use a foot cream that also exfoliates. There are two principal types of exfoliators that can benefit your feet. You can use a lotion that incorporates tiny particles that scour your skin, removing dry patches as you massage it into your heels and soles. Alternatively, you can choose a chemical exfoliator that includes ingredients such as lactic acid or glycolic acid. Chemical exfoliators work by loosening the bonds that hold old, dead cells onto the surface of the skin. As you massage these creams into your feet, the dry, rough cells on the surface begin to peel away, revealing soft new skin underneath.

When the thickened skin on your heels becomes dry and tight it can begin to crack. Heel cracks may cause discomfort and can be unsightly if you decide to wear a pair of sandals or flip flops. To heal these cracks and reduce the likelihood of further splitting at your heels, you should apply an intensely moisturizing foot cream on a regular basis. This can improve the skin’s suppleness and elasticity, allowing it to flex as your foot moves.

There is a large number of sweat glands on the feet. When sweat combines with bacteria it can produce a foul odor. Feet can be particularly prone to odor because the sweat and bacteria are trapped in your socks and shoes. You can help to deodorize your feet by using creams that contain antibacterial essential oils, such as lemon, tea tree and peppermint.

To avoid your foot cream rubbing off on the insides of your socks or shoes, many skin care experts suggest that you apply it at night. As you sleep, the nourishing cream can penetrate deep into the skin. By the morning, your feet may already begin to feel softer and more supple.